Battery charging advice please.

[Dawg]

Hi all,

I have a optimiser type bike battery charger.

Firstly is it OK to charge my 2010 GSA with this via the cigar lighter type socket rather than directly from the battery?
And if so does anyone know where I can get the right adapter? I have an adaptor to take the socket to a standard size (din I think its called) cigar lighter for my sat nav. But I will need a cable adaptor to go from a cigar lighter end to a standard two cable optimiser type clip connector.

Sounds confusing I know but I hope you get my drift.

Thanks.

 

[Pip_UK]

Someone will be along shortly I expect to confirm, but I'm pretty sure that the CANBUS multiplex wiring system used in the 1200 needs a special charger (e.g. here), and will just switch off the charging socket if you use a regular charger - even a 'smart' charger such as an Optimate.

However unlike the previous generation of GSs, the 1200 battery is easily accessible to clip your crocs onto - just take the seat(s) off and it's just aft of the fuel tank.

 

[ianp5uk]

I'm using an Optimate 4 without disconnecting the battery. However I'm a new GS owner so I hope it's ok! So far nothing's failed as a result. I have the Optimate plug attached. I tried using the aux power socket but it wouldn't hold it open. I'd be interested in the responses to this.

 

[ianp5uk]

I just asked the people who make the Optimate 4, this was their response:-

"Thank you for your enquiry. The OptiMate 4 is perfectly safe for use with
CAN-bus equipped BMW motorcycles. you will have to wire direct to the
battery as the motorcycles accessory socket is closed by the ZFE (wiring
controller) if current passing trough it drops below 200mA for an extended
period."

 

[61nearlybold]

Been using an Optimate for many years on my Harley and GS's from 06 to new 2010 model. Conect straight to the battery. No problems. I use the contector with the fuse which has the optimate conector on the end.

 

[Martyn H]

My dealer installed a second accessory socket on the top left, near the screen. Instead of connecting to the Canbus however, it's wired directly to the battery via an in-line fuse, so I can use the Optimate with a BMW plug on it, that I also use on my earlier, pre-Canbus, bikes.

 

[Grey Beard]

Optimate 4 - when available

I'm a new owner of a 2008 Adventure bike and asked around what kind of charger I needed for the bike (assuming I didn't want to disconnect the battery when I did the charging).

The alternative to the BMW charger, which plugs into the special socket below the seat is the Optimate 4, BUT it is not yet available. I am told the BMW socket/CAN-BUS compatible Optimate 4 will be available from about spring 2011. (The current Optimate 4 is NOT CANN-BUS compatible as far as I understand).

So it looks like the BMW charger is the only one available at present if you wish to charge via the special socket.

If you disconnect the battery to charge, then there are several cheaper gel compatible battery chargers available. I just didn't want to risk frying the on board computer during charging if I didn't disconnect the battery.

Grey Beard

 

[Beemerman59]

I replaced the OEM socket with a Powerlet one which is wired to a seperate fuse panel from the battery with an unswitched/fused output. Can power anything from it, no timeout or 5A rating. The fuse box powers my spots, heated gear, GPS as well and having switched and unswitched outputs means I decide if its on with the ignition or not.

 

[peter-k]

Hi all,
I have a optimiser type bike battery charger.

Firstly is it OK to charge my 2010 GSA with this via the cigar lighter type socket rather than directly from the battery?

Generally no.

BMW will decline all warranty claims where the electronics have been damaged by using an incompatible charger together with the factory socket. The Optimate 4 and certainly the BMW charger are.

 

[TeaPig]

Generally no.

BMW will decline all warranty claims where the electronics have been damaged by using an incompatible charger together with the factory socket. The Optimate 4 and certainly the BMW charger are.

What he says.

There have been cases of people cooking the electronics in the power distribution module by attaching a normal charger to the factory socket as you are not simply connecting to the wiring loom but shoving a few amps through a bunch of electronic components in a way they were not designed for.

Only use approved chargers if connecting to the factory socket

 

[ianp5uk]

I'm a new owner of a 2008 Adventure bike and asked around what kind of charger I needed for the bike (assuming I didn't want to disconnect the battery when I did the charging).

The alternative to the BMW charger, which plugs into the special socket below the seat is the Optimate 4, BUT it is not yet available. I am told the BMW socket/CAN-BUS compatible Optimate 4 will be available from about spring 2011. (The current Optimate 4 is NOT CANN-BUS compatible as far as I understand).

So it looks like the BMW charger is the only one available at present if you wish to charge via the special socket.

If you disconnect the battery to charge, then there are several cheaper gel compatible battery chargers available. I just didn't want to risk frying the on board computer during charging if I didn't disconnect the battery.

Grey Beard

I just connected the standard Optimate 4 lead to the battery terminals. It could be part no. TMC71 but that's from memory and probably wrong! Optimate seem to think the "4" is compatible with the electronics just that they don't hold the BMW accessory socket open - see previous post.

 

[Nico]

I use a Ctek XS800 instead, 1/3 of the price and working perfectly. I connect it directly to the battery, no issues whatsoever.

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Fit an extra power socket directly from the battery (via a suitable fuse, 10A say).
Use this for high load items like a tyre compressor. Because it's straight from the battery, you can use it for charging too.
Tourtech do a nice plate that goes round the clocks and incorporates a socket.

 

[cookie]

...or there's two positions marked on the under side of the beak, just in front of the tank.

 

[Dawg]

All great advice as usual, thanks chaps.

I found that my charger is an accumen. So I think the best choice for me is to get a connector to go straight to the battery (I forgot to remove the lead from my last bike) and charge it that way.

Many thanks again.

 

[grimo]

Guys,

May I offer this advice. If you do not have an alarm fitted to the bike then you do not need to keep the battery on charge as the bike will not draw current on a healthy bike.

Although these smart chargers are good and tell you that your battery is healthy ( holding Volts ) they do not tell you how much your battery capacity has drooped. Keeping a battery on a constant float charge will decrease its capacity to hold charge i.e from 14Ah to say 10Ah and so on as time progresses. you will find that it won't be able to start your bike after a few times but the smart charger will tell you its good.

My GS is now 2 years old I do not have an alarm fitted and I do not charge it with a charger, it also isn't ridden as much as i like to, I have covered 4800miles with no problems.
A 12v battery is full at 12.7 volts and considered flat at 12v, damage to these batteries occur if they are allowed to fall below 10v.

If you are not going to ride in the winter then I suggest that you monitor the volts, I don't recommend that the battery be disconnected as I am not sure if this will affect the bikes computer. By all means use these charges to charge it when necessary.

Regards,

 

[rickyxsara]

Straight to the battery on my 2010 as the dealer recommended.

 

[shuck raider]

So I think the best choice for me is to get a connector to go straight to the battery (I forgot to remove the lead from my last bike) and charge it that way.

Four quid, Hein Gericke

 

[Grey Beard]

If you are not going to ride in the winter then I suggest that you monitor the volts, I don't recommend that the battery be disconnected as I am not sure if this will affect the bikes computer. By all means use these charges to charge it when necessary.

I understand that you can disconnect the battery OK if you want to bring it into a warm house over the winter. You just have to reset the on board computer clock and you loose the service interval record - per a local BMW dealer.

Grey Beard

 

[ianp5uk]

Guys,


Although these smart chargers are good and tell you that your battery is healthy ( holding Volts ) they do not tell you how much your battery capacity has drooped. Keeping a battery on a constant float charge will decrease its capacity to hold charge i.e from 14Ah to say 10Ah and so on as time progresses. you will find that it won't be able to start your bike after a few times but the smart charger will tell you its good.

Interesting. Aside from your own experience do you have any other evidence that modern trickle chargers cause this? I ask because my (personal) experience has been the exact opposite that batteries kept on conditioners degrade slower.